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Canon PowerShot SD970 IS Digital Camera

Canon PowerShot SD970 IS Digital Camera

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Key Features of the Canon SD970 IS :
  • 12.1-megapixel Resolution in Ultra Compact Body.
  • Can shoot 720p HD Videos.
  • Simply tilt the SD970 IS to advance images while viewing on screen.
  • Digic 4 Image Processor.
  • 5x image-stabilized optical zoom.
  • Intelligent Contrast Correction.
  • 3" wide-viewing-angle LCD display.
  • Face Detection technology and in-camera red-eye fix.
  • 20 shooting modes, including 18 special scene modes.
  • Print/Share button.

Cool curves, powerful features and a fun new way to operate the camera mark Canon’s PowerShot SD970 IS Digital ELPH. Amazing resolution and expanded editing options are yours with 12.1 megapixels, and you can even create HD movies. Shooting is fun and easy with Smart AUTO that makes all your shots better effortlessly, and there’s a new user-friendly interface. And see how much fun it is to browse through your photos and even speed up image advance with a shake or tilt of the camera!

PowerShot SD970 IS Highlights

Canon PowerShot digital camera highlights
12.1 megapixels plus 5x optical zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer
Canon’s commitment to innovation defines the excitement of the PowerShot SD970 IS Digital ELPH. 12.1-megapixel resolution is more than a number, it’s your cutting-edge link to the outstanding clarity and quality you’ve always wanted in your images. Think bold and big, because razor-sharp, oversized prints are a breeze. Get the picture? It’s absolutely brilliant.

The PowerShot SD970 IS Digital ELPH has a 5x optical zoom lens that makes it easy to get the inspiring, emotive close-ups that will make your images lasting keepsakes. This magnificent lens gives you the power to shoot distant subjects with razor-sharp precision and stunning lifelike color. So you can brilliantly capture a bird high atop a tree, a child’s winning goal from across the stadium or a school play from the last row.

Canon PowerShot digital camera highlights
The PowerShot SD970 IS Digital ELPH is equipped with Canon’s acclaimed Optical Image Stabilizer Technology that automatically detects and corrects camera shake--one of the leading causes of fuzzy or blurred shots. Even when zoomed in, you can get the steady, crisp, brilliant images you’ll be proud to shoot and share. And Canon’s Optical Image Stabilizer Technology is so convenient to use. It functions perfectly with or without a flash.

Canon PowerShot digital camera highlights
HD movie shooting capability plus HDMI output
The PowerShot SD970 IS Digital ELPH lets you record video in beautiful high definition (1280 x 720 pixels). The camera also makes it easy to enjoy HD movies (and still photos) on your HDTV with a mini-HDMI connector for direct connection to a high-definition monitor. You’ll enjoy the HD experience with no degradation of image or audio in the signal, plus the ability to display up to 130 still images at once.

Smart AUTO intelligently selects the proper settings
Just set the Canon PowerShot SD970 IS Digital ELPH to Smart AUTO and you’re ready for maximum enjoyment from your picture taking every time. It’s a relaxing and satisfying way to shoot because you can completely concentrate on your subject knowing that the camera has the technical details covered. Advanced Canon technology intelligently analyzes your situation and shooting conditions. Then it automatically selects an appropriate setting from 18 specially defined settings. So whether you’re photographing flowers, a captivating sunset, or your friends at the park, you can be confident that you’re getting dramatic, memorable images.

Shooting Modes
Advanced presets for the best possible photos under certain conditions. With 20 Shooting Modes, you’re ready for whatever shot comes your way.

New Active display technology
Active Display is a fun new feature powered by an accelerometer built into the PowerShot SD970 IS Digital ELPH. When browsing through your images in playback, just give the camera a quick shake to advance or return images one frame at a time. Tilting the camera will activate continuous image advance, and tilting at a further angle will make the images advance more quickly.
Canon PowerShot digital camera highlights
Simply tilt the SD970 IS to advance images

Zoom Blur and Creative Light Effect produce fun, original effects
Zoom Blur is a classic photo effect that takes some technical skill to create, whether on film or in the editing process. But the PowerShot SD970 IS Digital ELPH’s new Zoom Blur feature makes the look easy to achieve. Simply shoot with the feature activated, and the camera zooms during exposure for a great effect.

Creative Light Effect Special Scene mode can turn your image into a whimsical work of art by changing twinkling light sources in the background of night scenes into stars, hearts or other shapes.

Canon PowerShot digital camera highlights
Large, high-quality 3.0-inch PureColor LCD II with wide viewing angle
The PowerShot SD970 IS Digital ELPH gives you large 3.0-inch LCD screen for excellent control when framing your shots. Canon’s high-quality PureColor LCD II (461,000 dots) offers spectacular color, resolution and contrast even when viewed at an angle. The screen is highly durable and easy to see in any light with a scratch-resistant, anti-reflective coating. It also features Night Display for easy viewing in low light--a perfect feature for gathering friends and family around to see your images.

A World of Advantages with Canon’s Technology

Canon's DIGIC 4 image processor has evolved Face Detection Technology that tracks the faces of moving subjects and lets the shooter enter the frame seamlessly with the Face Detection Self-Timer.

DIGIC 4 Image Processor
Canon’s most advanced image processor, DIGIC 4, delivers evolved Face Detection Technology that keeps every face in every photo looking its very best. The technology finds and tracks the faces of moving subjects until you’re ready to shoot, then delivers perfect focus. In addition, exposure, flash and white balance are compensated, so that faces exhibit natural skin tones and backgrounds are properly exposed.

Canon PowerShot digital camera highlights
iSAPS Technology is an entirely original scene-recognition technology developed for digital cameras by Canon. Using an internal database of thousands of different photos, iSAPS works with the advanced DIGIC 4 image processor to improve focus speed and accuracy, as well as exposure and white balance.

A Face Detection Self-Timer automatically detects an increase in the number of faces and makes the appropriate adjustments. For instance, to include the photographer’s face in a group shot, there’s no need to rush in. Just put the camera on a stand or tripod, specify Face Detection Self-Timer, and the camera will wait for the photographer’s face to get on-camera before it takes the shot. Motion Detection tracks moving subjects in a much larger range, and the Servo AF retains focus on a moving subject after the shutter button is pressed halfway--allowing you to wait for the perfect shot without refocusing.

Intelligent Contrast Correction
Canon PowerShot digital camera highlights
DIGIC 4 also makes possible the i-Contrast (Intelligent Contrast Correction) system, which controls the compensation level in pixel units to brighten dark areas while leaving bright areas unchanged for better images where the main subject is dark, and more natural transition. The PowerShot SD970 IS Digital ELPH can even use i-Contrast in playback mode to adjust images that were shot without the setting activated.

Red-eye Correction provides three options for removing red-eye from subjects in flash pictures.
1) Red-eye Correction during shooting actually identifies and corrects red-eye in human subjects as pictures are taken.
2) The PowerShot SD970 IS Digital ELPH can be set to automatically detect and correct red-eye during image playback.
3) You can manually locate any red eyes in a scene during image playback on the LCD screen, and command the camera to remove them.

Life doesn’t give you second chances to capture special times. That’s why the PowerShot SD970 IS Digital ELPH features an ISO 1600 setting that reduces the effects of camera shake and sharpens subjects in low-light situations, giving you greater shooting flexibility. ISO can be expanded to 3200 when you select ISO 3200 Special Scene mode.

Canon PowerShot digital camera highlights
Blink Detection
Blinking subjects can ruin the best shots, and the problem usually isn’t detected until it’s too late to do anything about it. The PowerShot SD970 IS Digital ELPH is equipped with Canon’s new Blink Detection to combat this common image flaw. The feature uses the power of Face Detection to determine whether any subject in the previous shot had closed eyes. If closed eyes are detected, a "blink warning" icon appears for 3 seconds, allowing you to retake the shot before your subject or subjects move on.



What's in the Box

  • PowerShot SD970 IS Digital ELPH body
  • Lithium-ion battery pack (NB-5L)
  • Battery charger (CB-2LX)
  • Wrist strap (WS-DC7)
  • Digital Camera Solution CD-ROM
  • USB interface cable (IFC-400PCU)
  • AV cable (AVC-DC400)



Product Description
Cool curves, powerful features and a fun new way to operate the camera mark Canons PowerShot SD970 IS Digital ELPH. Amazing resolution and expanded editing options are yours with 12.1 megapixels, and you can even create HD movies. Shooting is fun and easy with Smart AUTO that makes all your shots better effortlessly, and theres a new user-friendly interface. And see how much fun it is to browse through your photos and even speed up image advance with a shake or tilt of the camera!



Canon SD970 IS Photo Samples

Click here to view more samples.
These are actual photos taken with Canon SD970 IS.
Photos courtesy of Flickr and belong to respective users. To view a larger image click on thumbnail.

Compare Canon SD970 IS with similar cameras

Name: Canon SD900 Canon SD880 IS Canon D10 Underwater Canon SD970 IS
Megapixels: 10.0 10.0 12.1 12.1
Optical Zoom: 3 X 4 X 3 X 4 X
Max Res: 3648 x 2736 3648 x 2736 4000 x 3000 4000 x 3000
LCD Screen: 2.5 " 3 " 2.5 " 2.8 "
Digital zoom: 4X Yes, 4 x Yes, 4x Yes, 4x
Image stabilizer: No Yes, Lens Yes, Lens Yes, Lens
Media Card: SD / MMC card SD / SDHC / MMC card SD / SDHC / MMC / MMCplus SD / SDHC / MMC / MMCplus / HD / MMCplus
Battery: Lithium-Ion NB-5L battery & charger Lithium-Ion NB-5L battery & charger Lithium-Ion NB-6L battery & charger Lithium-Ion NB-4L battery & charger
Weight (with batteries): 205 g (7.2 oz) 195 g (6.9 oz) 190 g (6.7 oz) 145 g (5.1 oz)
Lowest Price: $324.95 $247.95 $282.00 $298.00
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Canon SD970 IS User Reviews

Avg. Rating
4.0
Out of 5
This item is reviewed by 61 people so far.
Click here for complete reviews.

4
Out of 5
Love the camera!
- Reviewd on: 3/3/2010 12:00:00 AM By: D. Lopez
I've had many Canon cameras. And as far as point and shoot go, this is by far one of the best ones!
I love it!
2
Out of 5
Compared w/my older 890 the photos in auto STINK! blury and LOSS OF DETAIL!!!!! in LOW LIGHT
- Reviewd on: 3/3/2010 12:00:00 AM By: J. Berger
I took 2 photos

one (1) with my Canon PowerShot 890 and one (1) with the 970 I bought.(which I am sending back!) I took them in identical lighting conditions of the same subject (my Russian Peterbald) THE LOSS of detail!! and this is a higher megapixel then my 890 is unreal. I am so disappointed. The cam body is also lighter then my 890. The screen on the 970 is great. The hd video EH not that much difference although there is an improvement but this cam is going back. I am sorry you should not have to set and manipulate etc a cam it should take CLEAR photos in auto bc as we all know not everyone has the time to sit there and change settings you need something that fires up and bam. OH and by the way, I develop film, use a manual cam as well, but I like having a point and shoot handy for those moments where u just need to quickly take a pic. I cannot believe the loss of detail..my jaw dropped. The only comparison I can make is if you took a photo in photoshop or adobe and added blur to the entire picture.
where as the old cam you could see the whiskers, the fur on in PERFECT detail etc, pores etc, the NEW SD970, YOU COULD SEE NOTHING, THERE WAS NOT DETAIL everything was eh, you could see my Russian Peterbald, but if you tried to zoom in at all, grain, nothing, zero NO DETAIL, if u care about ur photos, or details, or plan to edit or don't ...DO NOT GET THIS CAM
oh and btw I will be MORE THEN HAPPY to send the test shots to ANYONE side by side...as they are coded as to which cam took which shot, and u can see for urself
5
Out of 5
Great camera!
- Reviewd on: 2/1/2010 12:00:00 AM By: N. Moghaddam
the camera works great and takes wonderful pictures! i will never own anything but a Cannon
1
Out of 5
Too slow to use
- Reviewd on: 1/24/2010 12:00:00 AM By: B.W.
I have used several Canon digital Elph cameras and have enjoyed them. Generally they take great pictures and fit well in your pocket. I have also used Canon DSLR's including a D20 (which I absolutely love), Digital Rebel, and the new 7D.

I understand that a point and shoot camera will have a slight delay compared to a SLR, but the SD970IS DELAY IS SO BAD that the camera is almost not functional. I have missed too many shots and cursed at this camera too many times. The 720p video is nice, but that is all this camera is good for.

Sorry Canon, I love your cameras, just not this one.
5
Out of 5
Good camera and great service
- Reviewd on: 1/24/2010 12:00:00 AM By: Chien-kou Shieh
Didn't have a lot of time with this camera just yet, but I first used it for a wedding and had a lot of fun finding its features. The buttons are a bit stiff for ease of use, but once you get used to it, and are sure to be careful, it works just fine. Canon provided great service for some of my camera's problems, so now it works very well. I don't know about the price, since many cheaper cameras have the same features, but the zoom blur and creative light options add a bit of fun to the camera. Great for a point and shoot.